Checkatrade vs MyBuilder: which lead platform actually fits your trade business

When you’re growing a trades business, choosing the right lead platform is a decision that shapes your pipeline for months. Checkatrade and MyBuilder are two of the most established names in the UK marketplace, yet they operate on fundamentally different principles. Rather than treating them as competitors in a simple head-to-head, it’s more useful to ask whether your business model aligns better with one approach or the other. Both have genuine strengths; the fit depends on how your business generates enquiries and how much control you want over your lead flow.

Checkatrade’s pricing model is built around membership plans with fixed lead volumes. According to Checkatrade’s membership ROI guide, its most basic plan starts from £30 plus VAT per month. However, the same guide makes clear that on the basic package, a tradesperson does not appear in Checkatrade search results at all—appearing in search requires choosing a plan built around a set volume of leads. This means you’re not simply paying a small monthly fee and waiting for organic visibility; you’re committing to a tier that bundles membership cost with lead volume expectations. For established trades with consistent capacity, this can deliver predictable lead flow. For newer or smaller businesses testing the water, the commitment may feel steep.

MyBuilder operates on an entirely different premise. According to MyBuilder’s own ‘How it works’ guidance, posting a job is free for the customer, who describes what they need and is then shown interested tradespeople. The matching system alerts relevant tradespeople to posted jobs, and they can then express interest. Crucially, the model is job-by-job rather than fixed lead volume. This means you see opportunities as they arise, rather than being locked into a tiered monthly commitment. For trades that prefer flexibility and want to see enquiries before any money changes hands, MyBuilder’s approach is more permissive. You’re responding to actual demand rather than pre-paying for a forecasted volume.

A significant operational difference lies in how customer contact details are handled. On MyBuilder, according to its ‘How it works’ page, a customer’s contact details are shared only when the customer chooses to share them. This creates a layer of filtering; you don’t get flooded with unqualified or overly price-sensitive enquiries in the same way a fixed-volume platform might deliver them. Conversely, Checkatrade’s fixed-volume model means leads are allocated whether you’re busy or not, which can feel wasteful during peak periods and thin during slower ones. Neither approach is objectively superior, but they suit different business rhythms.

Cost predictability differs sharply. Checkatrade’s membership tiers give you a known monthly outlay and an expected lead quantity. If you receive fewer leads than promised, that becomes a service issue; if you receive more and can’t handle them, you’ve still paid the full monthly fee. MyBuilder’s job-by-job model means you’re not paying upfront for a lead volume you may not close. However, it also means your monthly cost is variable and potentially harder to forecast into your marketing budget. For trades with tight cash flow, MyBuilder’s variable cost may feel less risky. For those with steady capacity and reliable conversion rates, Checkatrade’s predictability can be an asset.

A third consideration is the broader competitive context. Bark, for instance, offers a free professional account—you spend credits only when you choose to contact a customer, according to Bark’s help centre. Bark charges a small fee for each introduction and provides phone and email for each purchased lead. This sits between MyBuilder’s full flexibility and Checkatrade’s fixed commitment. The existence of platforms with different models underlines that no single approach suits all trades. Your choice should reflect how your business actually wins work: through consistent high-volume lead follow-up, selective targeting of qualified enquiries, or something in between.

Neither Checkatrade nor MyBuilder is ‘better’ in isolation. The decision hinges on your capacity, cash flow, risk tolerance and conversion process. A plumber or electrician with steady demand and the team to handle high lead flow might thrive on Checkatrade’s volume model and guaranteed visibility in search results. A specialist tradesperson or smaller outfit that prefers to vet enquiries before investing time might find MyBuilder’s selective, job-by-job approach more sustainable. It’s also worth testing both on a small scale before committing heavily to either. Many trades use multiple platforms simultaneously to diversify their lead sources and reduce dependence on any single channel.

Beyond lead platforms themselves, there’s a broader question: are you maximising your own visibility and lead generation independent of marketplaces? Done-for-you social media and targeted lead generation work hand-in-hand with (or sometimes instead of) paying platforms. Building your own pipeline through social proof, local reputation and direct customer contact reduces reliance on marketplace fees and algorithms. The most resilient trades businesses combine marketplace presence with owned channels—their own social media, email list, local partnerships and referral networks. That diversification protects you if a platform changes its pricing or algorithm, and it often yields higher-margin leads because you’re not paying commission or subscription fees.

If you’re weighing Checkatrade against MyBuilder, ask yourself three things: Do you have consistent capacity for high lead volume, or do you prefer to be selective? Can you forecast your marketing budget reliably, or do you need variable costs? Are you building a brand and direct customer relationships alongside marketplace presence, or are you relying primarily on platforms to fill your diary? Your answers will point you toward the platform—or combination of platforms—that actually fits your business.

Sources for third-party figures: Checkatrade membership ROI guide · MyBuilder - How it works · Bark help centre · Bark for professionals guide. Checked 2026-07-04 — always confirm current pricing and terms directly with the provider.